BMW have had a fruitful motorsport history since it first appeared in 1938 in the long endurance event the Mille Miglia. The year was 1938 and BMW entered their 2.0 litre BMW 328 sports car into the famous Mile Miglia road racing event. The car did very well for a number of drivers that were participating in the event and the car managed the class win beating off their competitors.

The following year the car showed more promise but was not able to win the event and that is truely what it’s makers wanted to do. Their patience paid off in 1940 when a BMW 328 car, the car that won their class in 1938, won the whole event after a gruelling 998 miles. The car was helped as it was upgraded with a streamlined body that allowed for more aerodynamic efficiency.

The BMW 328 also won the 1939 RAC rally and then finished 5th overall after 24 hours and 1st in the 2 litre class. This meant that it was considered as the best international sports car of that era in the 2 litre category. At this time, BMW were racing motorbikes, in 1939 one of their motorcycles won the Isle Of Man TT and other events such as the sidecar World Championship. This continued until the 1970′s.

BMW have also had a fairly big history in Formula 1. During the 1980′s they wanted to develop an engine for F1 purposes. The Brabham F1 team saw this opportunity and the engine was first raced in 1982. The engines first race win was at the 1982 Canadian grand prix with the help of Nelson Piquet.

The following season, in 1983, the partnership continued and the BMW powered Brabham took 4 victories on its way to help Nelson Piquet win the title. BMW changed to the Benetton team in 1986 but it only managed to win one world championship race. With the success in Formula 1 at a minimum, BMW decided to drop their engines out of the world championship at the end of the 1986 season.

The engine they used though continued throughout 1987 but was renamed Megatron as they had bought the rights to the engine and they were put into the Arrows team for 1987. The BMW engine was famous for being the first Formula 1 engine to develop more than 1000hp in race trim and nearly 1400hp in qualifying trim when the boost was engaged fully.

They did not enter Formula 1 again until 1997 when they formed a partnership agreement with the Williams F1 team to produce engines for them for the 2000 season onwards. The powerful E41 V10 engine was made for the Williams team and debuted by the team where they managed to get 3rd place in the constructors’ championship and 3 podium finishes. There was always some disagreements during the partnership with Williams and in 2005 a big row broke out about the reliability of the engines and the team was not competitive during the season.

BMW then bought rights to the Sauber team which allowed them to set up their own team and design the car from the ground up. The car was quite successful in its first season earning themselves 5th in the constructor’s championship. Jacque Villeneuve who was with the team when it was Sauber had disagreements with BMW and then left at the end of the season where polish rookie driver Robert Kubica replaced him and instantly showed promise.

Racing expert Catherine Harvey looks at some aspects to the sporting history of BMW and how this has evolved.

Vauxhall dealers have always been considered the budget option for those buying a new car. While this may not be true today, Vauxhall can trace a heritage of supplying the British public with cars that, unlike Bentleys and Rollers were always in grasp. The company can trace its history back over a century. Dealers today are proud of this heritage as one of the most popular car brands with the British public.

The person who founded Vauxhall was Alex Wilson. Originally however, Mr Wilson did not set out to manufacture and sell motorcars, the first items to roll out of the Vauxhall Company were engines and pumps, predominantly used in the maritime sphere. Wilson soon abandoned this however when he saw how lucrative owning a motor company could be, like most wheeler dealers, he had the ability to spot a profit making opportunity.

Once the company was producing cars for their dealers around the country they soon caught the eye of American manufacturer General Motors. This leviathan of the motor industry launched a bid to buy out the British company and succeeded. The eventual deal saw Vauxhall being sold for two and half million dollars, at the time this was a large sum and gave GM control over all aspects of Wilson’s operation. The factories, dealers and workers; to coin a phrase, GM now owned Vauxhall ‘lock, stock and barrel’.

Sadly for the British company this collusion with General Motors meant that for fifty years their development was stifled by a parent company that was interested in exporting its ideas rather than nourishing the talent of the British design team. For many years, Vauxhall cars had the same design elements as their American cousins. These were never extremely popular with the public although thanks to American know how of mass production, at least they were affordable.

During the war Vauxhall stopped producing cars and instead helped with the war effort. This meant that the factories were converted to manufacture the Churchill Tank. After the war the company attempted to regain a strong sales platform in a period when spending on cars was at a low. It was during this period that the company developed a rivalry with Ford that continues today.

The Ford, Vauxhall rivalry became especially fierce during the sixties and seventies. Both were attempting to take the largest chunk of the budget car market in the UK. For many years, Ford had the advantage and Vauxhall were forced to play catch up.

In the early seventies the Vauxhall Company released two models, the Viva and Victor. While the Victor was a pretty mediocre model the Viva set a standard of small family car that has seemingly created a whole new category in the motor industry. Ford at this time had the Cortina and Corsair; both were popular although the Cortina became the most popular budget car in the country. In addition, at this stage there was a third competitor in the British car market; this was British Leyland and although it is now no longer in existence, at the time it was quite a force in the motor industry.

The rivalry between Ford and Vauxhall continues to this day although in the modern climate although it is less fierce today. Vauxhall have managed to catch and overtake their rivals. Recent surveys have placed Vauxhall as the favourite car manufacturer with the British public thanks to a range of cars to suit all purposes. It has been through dedication and the efforts of the company’s dealers that this dream has become a reality.

Motor industry expert Thomas Pretty looks into how the cars in Vauxhall dealers have developed through the years.

Turbocharged cars are interesting creatures from a performance perspective. In stock trim from the factory, they often run a very conservative level of boost and fuel delivery. These cars make good amounts of power, but there is a vast reservoir of potential lying there, completely untapped. This is largely because automakers are afraid of the warranty issues that could be associated with turbocharged cars running at their absolute peak. These extra safety margins are built into the engine management software so that power is produced, but not to the point where stress might reach a dangerous level.

If you own one of these turbocharged beasts, such as the Dodge SRT-4 or the Cobalt SS, it can be frustrating to find out that your car’s engine has been holding out on you. Many people, when they find out about how their engine computer is programmed, wonder if there is a way to bypass these restrictions and get the most out of their ride.

The answer is yes. Since modern engines are managed via computer software, the simple answer is that by reprogramming the engines computer or ECU, it is possible to wring every last ounce of power out of the engine. This is a lot easier to say that it is to actually do, however. Not all car companies are open about how their engine management is coded, and many of the tuners who work to decode these systems can find themselves spending a significant amount of time just figuring out basic ECU operations. However, given a large enough market, and enough time, even the most complex management software is analyzed and improved upon by performance companies.

How do these companies reprogram you cars computer? Once they have a firm understand of the vehicles software, they can then start to tweak it to test out the limits of the engine. There are quite a few different factors that can be played with in the pursuit of more horsepower and better performance: boost level, throttle response, the ratio of air to fuel at every given engine speed, and ignition advance, to give a few examples. This type of tuning is not only about peak power it is also about increasing the power band so that there is more power available no matter how fast or slow the engine is turning. This can really improve the drivability of your vehicle, and help reduce some of the lag experienced with the turbocharger.

Once everything has been figured out and tested, it is coded onto a computer chip. Some companies will send you the chip so you can install it yourself, (it usually just snaps in and out of the ECU), while others will require you to ship them your ECU so that they can install it for you.

Chipping a turbocharged car can be a great way to unlock its hidden power. However, doing so will often times void your warranty, and could put your engine and other parts of your drive train under more stress than they is used to. Make sure that you get the whole story from whichever chip company you are considering before you install the new part in your car.

Justina Mathews writes issues that currently affect the performance car enthusiast. She also writes about issues that affect the street tuner industry, as well as import scene lifestyle. She’s a staff writer for s max intercooler.

There comes a time when most people get the urge to take their muscle car to the drag strip to see what she will do in a quarter mile run. Drag racing can be an inexpensive and fun way to enjoy your car. It can also get quite competitive, especially if you and your friends start racing for bragging rights.

Having the right set of tires on your car is one of the most crucial aspects to successful drag racing. So much of a car’s ET, or elapsed time, is based on its performance in the initial 60 feet of the race. You will notice that on the time slip that you get at the end of each run, there is a line dedicated to the 60 foot time telling you how many seconds it took you to reach that marker. This measurement is a great method of determining how much traction your car is getting on the hole-shot.

The quicker your car can get off the line, the faster the run will be. This is where tire selection comes into the picture. If you have ever seen a slow-motion video of a funny car or top fuel dragster launching at the strip, then you might have noticed that the huge rear tires actually seem to sag and bow under heavy acceleration. This wrinkling in the sidewall of the tire occurs so that the maximum size contact patch can be maintained while all of that power is applied at once.

You might be wondering how the tires on an 8000 horsepower drag car are relevant to your situation. The key is understanding that allowing the sidewall of a tire to deform slightly helps increase overall traction when launching. What this means in practical terms is that low-profile tires do not make good drag tires and since their sidewalls are far too thin to deform, instead of gripping they often spin or chatter when power is dumped to the rear axle.

Since dedicated drag racing tires, called slicks, do not have any tread (just an ultra-sticky rubber compound), they are not safe for every day driving, especially in the rain. The best option when it comes to drag tires that you can drive safely to the track and then back home again are drag radials. Drag radials are tires with enough tread to handle reasonably wet conditions, but still have the majority of the tire smooth and sticky for maximum traction. They are also designed to be rigid enough for safe highway use, but when a deflated to a lower pressure, their sidewalls can wrinkle in a similar fashion to true slicks.

Drag radials are an excellent option to dramatically improve your traction out of the hole, and speed up your 60 foot times. Many people say that a drag race is won or lost in those crucial first few seconds, and this type of tire can help keep you on the winning end of that equation more often than not while still letting you drive home safely at the end of the evening.

Justina Mathews writes issues that currently affect the performance car enthusiast. She also writes about issues that affect the street tuner industry, as well as import scene lifestyle. She’s a staff writer for s max intercooler.

In some parts of car culture, the size of automotive rims has gotten out of control. Over the last few years, rims 24-inches or greater have become more and more common on high end street machines, and some SUVs sport gargantuan wheels and tires. This has caused a ripple effect throughout the entire automotive community, particularly when it comes to import tuners. While in the 1990s, it used to be considered excessive to have rims above 17-inches in size, nowadays 18s are the norm from the factory and 19 and 20-inch rims are common.

You might have felt the pressure to upsize your imports wheels and tires, whether as a result of this rim size arms race, or simply because you want a different look for your car. While in general it is not a bad thing to fit your car with bigger rims, there are some guidelines that you should keep in mind while doing so, in order to make sure that your car rides as well as it looks.

The first thing to consider is your cars suspension. The engineers who designed your vehicle had very specific wheel sizes in mind when they chose the components that underpin its suspension. Larger wheels are usually heavier than stock, and this extra weight can slow down the car, as well as increase suspension wear. If you want to spend the extra bucks, you can get forged wheels, which are much lighter than standard cast rims.

Larger wheels usually also have a wider tire, with a thinner sidewall. This can really help your improve your vehicles grip on the street, although at the drag strip, the thinner sidewall will not flex nearly as much as a taller one, decreasing traction on launch. The other thing to watch out for with a thinner sidewall are things like potholes and curbs, as there is less rubber to protect your rim from getting bent. Finally, make sure that the offset of the wheels is sufficient to prevent any rubbing when you turn the steering wheel all the way over to one side.

Even keeping all of this in mind, there are some sizes of wheel that cannot be run without modification to your cars suspension, and sometimes its bodywork. Anything larger than 22 inches brings serious weight and size into the picture, and must be dealt with accordingly. However, there is a really easy way to figure out how to mount a wheel that will look great, handle well, and fit perfectly. Its called plus sizing, and the idea is to preserve the original overall diameter of the wheel and tire combination that came with your car. For example, if you move from a 17 inch wheel to a 19 inch wheel, by choosing a tire with a wider contact patch and a narrower sidewall, you can keep the same diameter as your stock combo, yet enjoy the benefits of great-looking rims.

There are plenty of online wheel-size calculators that will let you see a representation of your stock tire superimposed on the wheel size you are thinking of upgrading to. These can be a big help when it comes time to decide how big you want to go.

Justina Mathews writes issues that currently affect the performance car enthusiast. She also writes about issues that affect the street tuner industry, as well as import scene lifestyle. She’s a staff writer for fuel systems.

Lexus have revealed their brand new IS F car that will challenge the new generation M3 when it comes on sale shortly. It is the first in the breed of Lexus’s new F breed of performance cars where the F stands for Fuji Speedway in Japan, the country where Lexus test their new high performance cars.

This division can be compared to BMW’s M division or Mercedes SLK. The Lexus is going to be powered by a 5.0 litre V8 engine that is also seen in the LS series, whereas Mercedes have managed a 3.5 litre V8. It will propel the car to the 62 mph milestone in just 4.8 seconds that also eclipses the BMW M3. The engine features a very unique second air intake that allows a distinctive roar from the engine after the car hits the 3,600rpm range. The top speed of this new beast is limited to 168mph which is 12 mph higher than the also limited M3. But the new IS F is capable of a much higher top speed but for some reason Lexus held back.

The new IS F also features a special management system that allows the driver to experience close to the cars driving potential. This system checks and manages all the power and stability control as well as braking allowing the car to keep pointing forwards and restricting the oversteer and understeer of the car during the cornering. This is very clever as it will allow the car to keep very stable and agile even if it is chucked into the corner.

The transmission on the new car is very advanced technologically. Lexus have introduced the new 8 speed gearbox that connects to the very powerful V8 engine. It features a very cool and sophisticated direct shift option as well as a full manual mode. The power is delivered very smoothly and you are always in the power band due to the gears being spread out superbly. The new gearbox has been tweaked by the Lexus boffins and can up-shift in an incredible 0.1 seconds in comparison a normal gearbox takes up to 0.5 to 1 second to change. This allows for fast acceleration as the gear changes do not disrupt the cars speed.

Downshifts are just as amazing as the new gearbox blips the throttle each time to allow for smoothness and synchronisation between gear changes. In the full manual mode the car features paddle shifts on the steering wheel that offers the thrill and experience of a racing car like Ferrari have done in their latest models. The paddle shifters also allow you to decide when to change gear.

The brakes have also been updated on the new IS F due to the huge stopping speeds the car will need to handle with all the new power. The huge 360mm discs and 6 pot callipers do not allow any fade even after repeatedly hard braking. To test this theory Lexus have tested the brakes many times on the longest straight at the Fuji Speedway in many different conditions. The results showed that the brakes worked excellently and that no fade occurred.

The car will be priced around 51,000 pounds that puts it in direct competition with the BMW M3 and the Jaguar XKR. The market is already very competitive and Lexus are making the market even more so by adding their effort. After 1 or 2 years everyone will be able to see whether or not the new Lexus IS F will be a success like its main rivals or falter under pressure.

Vehicle expert Catherine Harvey looks at how Lexus compare to other new car models.

With all the high gas prices out there, hybrid vehicles are continuing to become more popular among drivers. There are a few hybrid choices out there, but the Mazda Tribute Hybrid seems to be the most popular of those choices. Several distinct features make up the interior and exterior of the Mazda Tribute Hybrid.

The Mazda Tribute SUV hybrid looks similar to its siblings and is boxier than it is sleek. That doesn’t mean it’s not a sharp looking vehicle. The classic look it has didn’t appeal to a lot of hybrid drivers, and they were less than enthused with the aesthetic features. But that hasn’t stopped consumers from swooping these up in droves. They like the clean lines and familiar look.

And you have to love the ‘it looks like an Escape’ no, it looks like a Mariner’ conversations among hybrid consumers. Face it, people, it looks like both, meaning it looks like a Mazda Tribute. Fanatics will tell you that their hybrid is individual. Their grilles do not have crossbars. The tail and headlights are designed well and elegantly. And their logo says ‘Mazda’.

The fog lights that come equipped on the Tribute are stock and good for trim levels of fog, good for touring and grand touring. The windows are nicely tapered with an ascent towards the back. This is pretty standard shaping for hybrid SUVs big or small that is currently on the market.

Consumers really like the driving position in this vehicle, enjoying the ability of having good ground clearance and excellent visibility all around. This makes it easy to take and park just about anywhere. There is plenty of head room so you won’t knock your noggin and the cargo space is large. The doors are dressed well and the wheels will rock your world. Plus, you can buy this hybrid SUV in a variety of colors.

The Inside:

Convinced to go out and buy one yet? Then go. Run. Get it before they run out of your favorite color. Otherwise…keep reading. You’re going to want to know more about the interior of the Mazda Tribute Hybrid. Considering that most SUVs are pretty roomy, the Tribute won’t let you down.

The driver’s seat is in an elevated position so that the driver has ample visibility all the way around. This is one of the things that driver’s are raving about because they are discovering they can see the road better and still be extremely comfortable. This visibility factor is especially good when the weather is inclement with snow and rain. This is also a big factor safety advocates like as well.

Five adults can sit comfortably in the Tribute and it’s perfect for the family trip. Everyone will be comfortable during long drives thanks to the spacious inside and little storage compartments that hold a variety of things. It’s amazing what children will hide in them and parents will enjoy the small compartments in the front to hide stuff as well.

The center console is nice too with more little compartments for things such as change, cup holders, sunglasses…if it fits in the cubby holes, you can put it in there. Some of the cubbies even have removable pieces to expand or shrink the holes. The cargo area behind the rear seat is 29.2 cubic-feet that expand to 66 cubic-feet when the seats are folded down. The seats split 60:40 which still allows two more people to sit in back when carrying long cargo. And the rear window will open separately so that you can access the cargo area without opening the entire back hatch.

Do you want to check out more hybrid car reviews? Then visit hybridcarchat.com and check out the latest free information regarding hybrid cars.

Hybrid vehicles continue to be the latest trend in the car buying industry. The Toyota Camry continues to be one the popular hybrids on the market. Check out some the exterior and interior features of the Toyota Camry.

No doubt, in line with its popularity, the sales of the Toyota Camry Hybrid topped the over all sales of Toyota Camry sedan in the United States by 15%. Since its launch in May 2006, the annual sales of this vehicle have reportedly reached a remarkable average of 60,000 units per year. This figure is not at all surprising since the hybrid model has become highly popular not only due to its offer of effective fuel consumption, but also exudes exquisite interior and interior design. A consumer always finds the overall looks of a car to play a major part in deciding whether to buy or the car or not. Design and comfort wise, the Toyota Camry Hybrid deserves a second look and that second look will lead you to making a 100% good buy.

Since the Toyota Camry Hybrid is a sedan, it boasts Toyota’s mark of exterior simplicity combined with easy luxury. Each color and design were carefully researched and selected to suit the market it caters. Its unique designs were created to ensure that owners are provided with utmost comfort and efficiency. Meanwhile, you will be impressed when you see how spacious the interiors of the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Again, Toyota has envisioned this creative work to provide its owners of utmost comfort and efficiency.

To summarize the exterior looks of Toyota Camry Hybrid, it is what you can say, innovatively modern but simple. While others may find the Toyota car’s exterior as conservative, the over all appearance with the added special features such as sleeker shape,

Makers of the Toyota Camry Hybrid surely know how to combine and complement the exterior design with its main functional features to customers’ satisfaction. They have adjusted the design and engineering specification to achieve optimum functionality. Also, in order to support the fuel economy and lower noise production and vibration of Toyota Camry Hybrid, they have reduced internal friction and they have also enhanced the engine block’s rigidity. Furthermore, to boost the hybrid car’s aerodynamics to a remarkable and practical drag of coefficient of 0.27, underbelly pans and wheel spats were even added.

Interior Review

The Toyota Camry Hybrid cars’ exterior looks could be deceiving. Outside, the car may appear sleek and slim, but you will be amazed how spacious the interior could be. The seats covered by high quality and luxuriant touch leather promises comfort and ease to passengers. The interiors were designed to complement everything you see inside of this car. From the leather-wrapped steering wheels, to the toggle switches located at the center of the console up to the dual climate control that would truly regulate the air conditioning to provide utmost comfort to the passengers, especially those in the front seats are sure to please any buyer.

There is another remarkable interior features which is tire pressure monitoring system. In terms of fuel economy consumption, this feature is proven to be highly beneficial. Halogen head lamps and dual climate and temperature control are few of the many features the Toyota Camry Hybrid cars have. Communication will always be available even when hitting the roads as Bluetooth connectivity is available on the steering wheel.

The 440-watt audio system will keep you entertained. This is another unique feature with WMA and MP3 compatibility, so anytime you want it, you can play your favorite music as there is also a terminal for your portable music gadget, so all you have to do is drive, plug and listen.

A smart keyless entry and the push-button start option features are also available which adds to the convenience this vehicle can offer. Although others may not find these features interesting or impressive, some owners still find such features practical and necessary in some instances. There also some optional features namely, the voice-activated navigation system, the leather-trimmed interior, the heated seats and the moon roof. With all these features and specifications to make up the Camry Hybrid, surely, owners of this model are proud to have them as an investment.

Do you want to learn ways to increase gas mileage? Then visit hybridcarchat.com and check out the latest free information regarding hybrid cars and a free guide to increasing your car’s gas mileage.